Zinc oxide has been employed as an attenuator of ultraviolet light in cosmetic and sunscreen applications. Due to the increased awareness of the link between ultraviolet light and skin cancer, there has been an increasing requirement for ultraviolet light protection in everyday skincare and cosmetics products. Unfortunately, existing commercially available zinc oxide products are not sufficiently transparent and can have an unacceptable whitening effect when used on the skin. There is a need for a zinc oxide in a form, particularly when used in combination with titanium dioxide, which exhibits improved transparency, reduced whitening, and provides broad spectrum ultraviolet light protection.